That will take some doing. Putin remains uninterested in peace talks as long as Russian troops continue to gain ground in Ukraine’s east, albeit at a slow pace, and while Ukrainian forces hold seized territory in the Kursk region inside Russia, according to John Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and other former officials.

President Donald Trump says his administration has already had “very serious” discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take “significant” action toward ending the grinding conflict.

Putin’s failure to expel Ukraine’s army from Russian territory may gain added significance as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a deal to end the war. While Russian troops continue to gradually advance on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv retains a bargaining chip in Kursk for a potential exchange of territory at any talks.